Giving Tuesday 2025

Help Partridge Creek Farm upgrade the Ishpeming Middle School Garden to improve Farm to School programming and our students learning opportunities.

Our base goal: $5,000

The Ishpeming Middle School Garden stewarded by Partridge Creek Farm is in need of major repairs after its creation in 2019. This site provides hands on learning opportunities for Ishpeming Middle School Students.

Partridge Creek Farm Ishpeming Middle School Garden aerial photo by Lindsey Bean

Our Base Goal: $5,000

The Ishpeming Middle School garden was established in 2019 constructed directly across the street from the Ishpeming Middle School. This site was recently purchased by the Ishpeming School District #1 to ensure this space continues to be an inspirational education space for all Ishpeming youth. Prior to it’s sale Partridge Creek Farm was allowed to utilize this private site based on a hand shake agreement with an outstanding community member.

This site is now 6 years old and the wooden garden beds have begun to fall apart due to weather and time. As these beds are rotting they are exposing sharp nails and pieces of wood and are leaving hazardous pile of soil. The beds are also slightly too large for middle school aged students. our goal is to raise $5000 to replace the ___ beds at the site with USDA approved, corrosion resistant, food-safe, anti-rot metal beds.

These New Garden Beds Will:

  • Vego brand garden beds are A.D.A accessible…..

  • Vego brand garden beds are the only beds of this kind made with USDA approved non-toxic paint.

    They are made of non-rot materials so no shard wood or nails will be exposed. The growing space in the bed will continue to be intact and won’t spill out of the beds as they begin to decompose.

  • Each spring, community members are welcomed to sign up to steward a raised bed within the Community Garden for a growing season. They are required to attend a Garden Orientation where they meet each other, go over expectations and rules, and assign themselves to various committees to ensure the space is maintained throughout the season. Many members choose to return each year, having formed a connection to this space and other members.

    • Ages range form under 18 to over 65 reflecting the intergenerational population of Ishpeming

    • Nearly half have a family income of less $50,000

Students in the Partridge Creek Farm Ishpeming Middle School Garden
Students in the Partridge Creek Farm Ishpeming Middle School Garden
Student looking at kale in the Partridge Creek Farm Ishpeming Middle School Garden

Top left: Bird’s eye view of the School Garden. Photo by Lindsay Bean. Top right: Students looking at tomatoes in the School Garden. Photo by Camden Kinnie. Bottom left: Education Coordinator teaching students looking at a bed full of kale. Photo by Camden Kinnie. Bottom right: A Farm to School student looks at a garden bed full of kale. Photo by Camden Kinnie.

Our reach goal: $10,000

Any funds collected beyond the $5,000 base goal will go towards improving the Middle School Garden and Farm to School programming.

2024 Community Garden beds in bloom! Photo by Camden Kinnie.

Our Reach Goal: $10,000

Any funds collected beyond the $5,000 base goal to purchase the Community Garden will be invested back into the garden space making this space more accessible and usable for our Members.

  • Many of the raised beds at the Community Garden were built 10 years ago. Until we are able to secure funding for a full rebuild of beds, we are seeking funding to help repair 10 beds that are in desperate need.

  • Providing seating for our Community Garden Members is important for resting, or conversing with friends.

  • Our existing gate works…sometimes. And other times it can put up a good fight. Having a new, functional, reliable gate that takes into mind accessibility, will ensure easy access to our Garden Members.

  • There is an old hoop house on site that is sadly beyond repair. Removing this structure will clear the way for us to add additional raised beds to this space and welcome more community members.

  • Each garden site that is stewarded by Partridge Creek Farm has a composting area for weeds, grass clippings, soil, etc. The existing system at the Community Garden needs to be updated.

  • We do our best to provide basic tools to our Garden Members. Some current needs includes hoes, rakes, pruners, shovels, trimmers and a lawn mower.

FAQs

  • Partridge Creek Farm stewards 6 community gardens throughout Ishpeming. Each garden serves a unique purpose. The Community Garden is currently our only site where community member are able to rent a raised bed each year to grow and harvest their own food. View all our garden sites here.

    Community Garden Timeline

    2014: The Community Garden, formally known as “The Incubator Garden” , was our very first garden. Built with the help of community volunteers, this space was shared by both community members and PCF for growing space.

    2014-2019: PCF and community members grew vegetables on site to feed themselves and our community. PCF sold items at local farmers markets during this time.

    2020: A grant from the West End Health Foundation allowed PCF to give all food grown at this garden to community members free of charge. A small stand outside our main office on Main Street served as a pick up spot. This is what sparked the idea for the West End Farm Stand.

    2023: With the introduction of the Intergenerational Farm site, PCF no longer needed to use space in the Community Garden for production growing, meaning all beds were fully rented to community members for the first time! PCF hired a Community Food Access Manager to facilitate this offering to our community.

    2024: For the second season, all 25 beds were rented to community members.

    2025 and beyond: PCF plans to continue stewarding this space for community members. We have a long list of improvements including adding additional beds to this space. As the Intergenerational Farm becomes more established, we hope to hand more of our community garden sites over to our community members!

  • The Partridge Creek Farm Community Garden hosts 24 members annually, many of whom return each year.

    • Our garden members say the top three reasons this space is important to them is (1) it helps offset the cost of groceries, (2) they enjoy spending time outside and (3) the positive effects this experience has on their mental and physical health.

    • Community Garden members' ages range from under 18 to over 65–a true intergenerational gathering point for our community!

    • 67% of garden members report visiting this space more than 4 times a week, making this space part of their regular routine.

    • The only grocery store located in downtown Ishpeming lacks a variety of fresh produce. Our garden members are helping to fill this need in their diets and share this food with friends and family.

  • Non profits receive grants that often come with restricted funds, meaning dollars must be used for a specific, pre-defined purpose. Partridge Creek Farm has received grants to help fund the build out of the Intergenerational Farm as well as our Farm to School programming. We are lacking funding for our community garden spaces, so we are turning to you, our community, to help us secure this as a long term space.

    Partridge Creek Farm has secured the following grant funding this year:

  • You can help us reach our $5,000 goal this Giving Tuesday by

    • Donating to our campaign. Every dollar helps!

    • Sharing this ask to your network via social media, text messaging, or talking to your friends about why you think this is important.

    • Sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch.